110 2015 MINNESOTA VIKINGS YEARBOOK 2015 MINNESOTA VIKINGS YEARBOOK 111Rhodes garnered plenty of attention over his rsttwo years, ofering glimpses of the player to come,and he is primed to hit the next level in 2015.Cornerback is arguably one of the morechallenging positions in the NFL. Becoming an elite talent at the position requires not onlyathletic ability but also mental focus, technique, and thorough understanding of both ofensive anddefensive systems. Its a lot to grasp, but Rhodes is utilizing everything he can.One way he prepares is intently critiquinglm from previous games with defensive backs coach Jerry Gray. Its not just any lm, either.The two go over specic missteps, error plays or scenarios in which Rhodes can improve, andthey attack those minor things in practice.Although it may not be pleasant to stare ones mistakes in the face, Rhodes sees it only as further motivation.The greats dont look at the things they dowell, Rhodes said. They look at the things theydo badly, so they can make corrections. Your opponents are looking at your errors, so you haveto correct thembefore they can go after you.Gray approaches the tape as a coordinator for the opposing team, watching for anythingthat could be construed as a weakness: Can hebackpedal every time? Can he play minus splits and still play press? Can he move his hips when a receiver is in motion? All of these things addup; as Rhodes perfects the small details, he will quickly rise to the top.Teammates also see the hard work Rhodes puts in day after day, and the results are evidentto them.Xavier has been a good corner since he enteredthe league he has a lot of ability, cornerback Josh Robinson said. What I see thats been helpinghimget even better is his lmstudy and knowingwhere he has help. Xavier can cover any receiver on any route, but sometimes you dont have tocover certain routes because you have help. [Hes understanding] the routes that he has to cover.Studying lmand knowing himself better as aplayer has proved key to Rhodes ofseason, andhe is eager to implement the newtweaks on theturf. Ask himwhat hes mainly working on thisofseason, and there is zero hesitation: patience.Being patient is my number one focus, Rhodes said. Depending on the other 10 to help me outinstead of being over-eager to make the play.As a young cornerback learning a new systemhis rst two seasons, Rhodes sometimes becameover-anxious, rushing to make a play rather than The road traveled by an NFL cornerback isnt without missteps, but an intentional focus by Xavier Rhodes to refne his talents could set him on a path from good to great in his third pro season.T H E R O A D F R O MT O2015 MINNESOTA VIKINGS YEARBOOK 113ADallowing the scheme to play out. He specically found zonecoverage to be more challenging, and he has been critiquedin that area before. Zone coverage forces the defensive back to wait on the receiver, remaining in the right alignment until trying to throw a brick in his route. In man coverage, Rhodes can move quicker and make that split-second decision.Developing patience immediately improves Rhodes condence in zone coverage setups, thoughmaking himthatmuch more of a defensive threat for opposing teams.Last season, Rhodes tallied 53 tackles (43 solo), 18 passes defensed and an interception.This year, Gray expects Rhodes to snag a few more picks. Thefour-time Pro Bowler, who racked up 28 interceptions over an extensive NFL career spent mostly with the L.A. Rams, feels condent in his students abilities moving forward. Rhodes technique is improving all the time, and his ability to slow down and play more consistently in 2015 will also provide himthe opportunity to make those bigger plays.Like Ive told him, great corners catch the ball when they getclose to it, Gray said. Last year, he got a lot of pass breakups, he knocked the ball down, so what is your expectation now? Are you expecting to intercept the ball? Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer encourages his players toplace the rst priority on defending the pass before pursuingan interception. Rhodes says theres no confusion here, though, as both coaches share the same vision: make the play, but dont force the play.That message is one Rhodes worked to implement during theofseason. Again calling on the patience theme, he explainedthe importance of playing smart football and understandingin the moment which play to go for. If you are not in position for a pick, dont go for one, but make sure you knock the ball down. If you are in place for the interception, go for it.Rhodes made his NFL debut in 2013 after being selectedNo. 25 overall and earned the opportunity to start six games and notch 48 solo tackles. The 2014 sophomore season meantmore familiarity with the league, but Rhodes was learning adiferent systemand terminology under a new head coach.Despite the changes last season, Rhodes name bubbled upin a few Pro Bowl conversations, but he didnt make the cut.More people, however, have himon their radar.In early June, CBS Sports NFL columnist Pete Prisco rankedRhodes at No. 80 in his Top 100 Players list and tabbedRhodes as a starting corner in his ideal 53-man roster. Prisco projected that Rhodes could be among the top vecornerbacks by the end of this season.What type of impact do these types of rankings have on young players? Is it a positive thing, a motivator? Is it adistraction?Rhodes says the attention just inspires himtowork even harder and continue getting better.It shows me my work is being noticed; its acongratulations to me. But it also lets me know theres moreto work on. Imnot the top corner out there now, so theres alot I need to work on in order to get to the top.Gray commented on Priscos projections as well:Its a positive deal, because it shows what people think but it ultimately comes down to you. What do you think of yourself? Those other guys are not going to let you take their spots on the list; you have to go and work.Rhodes may be young, but he consistently takes advantageof learning fromthose around him. Not only does heappreciate the inuence of seasoned coaches, but he learns fromNFL alumni and veterans as well.Former cornerback Terrell Buckley, a former rst-round pick now coaching at the University of Louisville, has mentoredRhodes over the past few years. Buckley often watches Vikings games, and he makes an efort to call Rhodes and give himpointers and advice on areas to work on.Its great to have my coaches, but then I have someone on the back end to help me out also, Rhodes said.In addition to Buckleys expertise, Rhodes has also learnedfromveteran cornerback Terence Newman. The 36-year-oldNewman played under Zimmer in Dallas for four seasons andCincinnati for two years, so he is comfortable not only with theposition but also with the specic coaching system.Excitement grows in Rhodes voice when he talks aboutthe 2015 season. The young cornerback is ready to go. Hes prepared, comfortable, and able to settle in and give theVikings everything they know he hasand more.Robinson describes his teammate as having humblecondence and consistent positive attitude.Those attributes alone better the defense and encourageour team, Robinson said.Rhodes physical build, athleticismand even his quiet demeanor t well with the type of defensive back Zimmer leans toward, andhe thrived under a defensive-minded coaching system.(Xavier) is taking what he did last year and getting a chanceto build on it, Gray said. He knows that were going to stayon himtechnique-wise. I think thats the biggest diference.Youre not going to learn a lot of diferent stuf, but youregoing to master the little things we give you.His coaches know it, his teammates know it, he knows it this season, big things could happen. Rhodes is buckled down and making all the adjustments needed for a breakout year."We just need to keep working," Rhodes said as he asheda signature smile.X A V I E R R H O D E S F E A T U R E*YARDSPERCOVERSNAPI SAMETRI CDEVELOPEDBYPROFOOTBALLFOCUSTOMEASURE YARDAGECONCEDEDWHENAPLAYERI SI NPRI MARYCOVERAGE, ONAPERSNAPBASI S. I TLETSUSMOVEALI TTLECLOSERTOMEASURI NGJ USTHOWSHUTDOWNACORNERI S.C O N T I N U E D . . .I NCLUDI NGALL1 6I N201 4I NCLUDI NGAVI KI NGSRECORD23 BREAKUPSI N2013 AND18I N2014526PASSI NGYARDSALLOWEDON560COVERAGE SNAPS, RANKI NG NI NTHI N201 4